The Other Kryptonian

Chapter 1

Zar Wor-Ul raised his hands to guard his face, the lean muscles on his five-year-old frame taught. A breeze ruffled his hair, sending the crimson strands back and forth. His pale white eyes narrowed against the sun that bathed his lightly tanned body, filling him with strength.

Karsta Wor-Ul stared at her son, her emerald eyes filled with pride at the determination filling his young face. Dark green leaves from the trees around them swirled around her, brushing against her skintight dark blue bodysuit.

With her lips curving into a smile, she shot forward. Closing the distance between herself and her son in a matter of seconds, she swung her right arm wide in a punch.

Zar raised his right arm, a purple triangular shield flaring to life around his forearm.

Karsta's fist slammed into the shield with a resounding boom, sending ripples through the energy, and causing Zar to lose his balance, raising the shield just enough to expose his stomach.

Raising her foot, Karsta launched a kick at his stomach.

Dodging the kick, Zar used his left hand to launch himself into the air, using his mother's outstretched leg as a makeshift springboard.

Cartwheeling over her, he landed behind her in a crouch.

Concentrating, the shield became solid, shimmering into smooth metal with an inverted triangle in its center. A black U sat at an angle in the center of the triangle. Flicking his wrist, the shield flew through the air.

Spinning around, Karsta slammed her left fist on the shield, causing it to bend around her arm before falling to the ground.

Zar turned keeping his white eyes on his mother. His hands clenched and unclenched.

"That's enough."

Both turned towards the family home.

The family home was a moderately large structure, built on the planet of new Genesis instead of the world's floating city. It was a large square measuring over 2000 ft.².

Rectangular towers stretched high into the sky at each of the squares four points. Setting atop the towers was a saucer like shape. Its clear domed roof reflected the sun that made it through the canopy of trees all around them.

A man stood in the home's arched doorway, his white eyes gazing upon both with love, his overlapping golden armor shining even in the dim light.

Zar's lips twisted into a pout, "Aw, come on, dad I almost had her this time."

The man looked at his wife, a pale white eyebrow raised, "Did he?"

Karsta strode forward. Stopping behind her son, she placed a hand on his head, using her other one to wipe the grass off his pale white T-shirt and loose-fitting gray pants.

"Mom!"

Ignoring her son, Karsta focused on her husband, "Come now my dear Arzaz. I was once a soldier of the planet krypton, do you really think I could be beaten by a five-year-old boy," she pulled her son close, hugging him to her body with her arms wrapped around his shoulders, "no matter how cute he is."

"Mom!"

Arzaz threw back his head and laughed, a rich sound that reverberated through the forest. "I apologize my dear, I suppose you're right."

"Oh come on, isn't anyone on my side," Zar exclaimed from within his mother's arms.

Arzaz's laughter stopped, a gentle smile crossing his features. Removing his glimmering golden helmet with its angled crosses poking out of either side, sunlight bounced off his bald head. Moving closer to his son, he knelt down in front of him.

Placing both hands on his shoulders, he stared into pale white eyes exactly like his own. "My son, we are always on your side, but it's important to remember that you should never stop learning. Remember that there are always challenges to overcome.

Zar looked down, "Okay dad, but I just want to make you and mom proud," he said in a quiet voice.

"My son, you carry within you the legacy of krypton and the old gods. Your mother and I have been proud of you the moment you came into the world, and that pride has only grown seeing how you've matured, soaking up everything we teach you. After seeing the way you fought today, there is no doubt in my mind. You have the determination and drive to change the fate of worlds, I could not be more proud of you."

"Now," he said letting his hands drop from his son's shoulders, "Enough of this serious talk. Why don't you go play?"

Zar looked between his parents, "Are you sure? I don't mind training some more."

Karsta squeezed her son's shoulders, "There is a time for training in a time for rest. You've done enough for now, go have some fun."

In a blur of motion, he was gone loose pieces of grass fluttering to the ground in his wake.

Karsta moved beside her husband, wrapping an arm around his waist and burying her face in his chest. "He's getting stronger with each day," she glanced at her husband, "With the magic he inherited from you, oh great god of order. He will be a force to be reckoned with in the future."

Arzaz willed his sun colored armor to withdraw into metal bands around his wrist. Pulling his wife close, she rested her head on his broad muscular chest, inhaling the scent of the forest, while he buried his nose in her hair, breathing in the scent of wild roses.

"That he will be, I just hope we're around to see it."

Karsta drew back staring into her husband's eyes with just a hint of apprehension. "So, it's really going to happen then, Apokolips is going to attack New Genesis?"

Arzaz nodded grimly, "Darkseid has found the antilife equation. With it, his power has grown exponentially. He won't allow New Genesis to stand in his way of conquering the universe anymore," Arzaz stared off into the distance, "he's already taken our old home of Naftali."

Karsta placed a hand on his shoulder, "I'm sorry my love, I know how much that place meant to you even before we met, but are you sure your divination is right, could you be seeing into another New Genesis of the multi-verse?"

"I wish that was the case my dear, but no, war is coming to our home."

"We came to New Genesis to be safe after the birth of our son," Karsta's hands curled into fists, and her eyes burned with crimson energy. "But if it's war they want, it's war they'll get, but they will not harm my son."

Arzaz's pale white eyes glowed. White sparks of electricity crackled around his tall muscular frame, "No, no they will not."

For a moment they stared into each other's eyes, power leaking out of their bodies. Then, slowly they leaned forward pulling each other in for a slow passionate kiss, letting their hands roam freely over the others body.

They broke apart, their lips puffy their chest heaving rightly.

"You know," Karsta said tucking a strand of crimson hair behind her ear, "when I lost Ro-Kul, I never thought I'd find love again, but finding my way to Naftali was probably the best thing that ever happened to me, she cupped her husband's cheek, I found new love and now have a son that I wouldn't trade for the world."

"And you my love," Arzaz said pulling her close, "gave this old god a purpose again, and showed him there were things in the universe that were still worth living for, and reignited his thirst for life."

Together, they strode towards the house, Karsta slipping out of her skintight blue clothes the moment they crossed the threshold. Her round pert breast sprang free, her light pink quarter sized nipples hard as iron. She twirled, a sensual sway to her wide perfect hips.

Arzaz raised both eyebrows, before a slow smirk twisted his lips, "Now, what are you up to?"

Karsta's hands drifted to the hem of her husband's tight brown leather pants that showed off the defined muscles of his legs. "If we are going to war soon, I want you to make love to me one final time."

Grinning, Arzaz scooped his wife up in his arms, causing her to giggle. "If that is what my lady wishes."

–XX –

Zar strode through the forest the scent of wildflowers filling his nose. Leaves crunched under his bare feet. While there bright green brothers rain down around him.

Bright red squirrels with tales of fire scurried along the branches above him, their orange eyes following his every movement, and their flaming tales leaving scorched marks wherever they struck.

These were season squirrels, during spring and summer they would be red with tales of fire. During the winter they would turn white with light blue eyes, and their tails would change to white mist that trailed behind them, leaving a light layer of frost wherever they passed.

A snapping twig drew his attention. He caught a flash of white and three dark blue eyes before they vanished.

Leaning forward, a grin spread across his face. With a lunge, he disappeared, stirring leaves and spinning dirt into the air.

Zar launched himself through the forest, bouncing from tree to tree like a monkey swinging through the branches. Stopping on a nearby branch, he leaned into the shadows not daring to breathe.

Down in the clearing below him, eating some fallen apples was a white dear, the tips of its pale horns glistening in the light. He dug his hands into the bark, causing it to crack under the pressure.

Pausing in its eating, the deer raised its head, revealing three dark blue eyes. The one in the center of its forehead shone a pale blue.

For a moment, the deer just stood there, staring at Zar. After what seemed like an eternity, it lowered its head and returned to its meal, the soft crunching of apples reverberating through the clearing.

This was what the people of New Genesis called a Foresight, a deer with a mystical third eye, which allowed it to see a short distance into its immediate future.

Leaning back against the tree, Zar watched the Foresight move from apple to apple, its silver hooves making a slight rustling against the grass as it moved.

Suddenly, it froze, the third eye in the center of its forehead glowing with pale blue light. In the blink of an eye, it bounded off.

Zar tensed, slowly raising himself upward. He cast his gaze from side to side, straining his ears for any sign of approaching danger, but only caught the sound of the flapping wings of a two-headed butterfly, and the sound of his mother moaning he grimaced, there are just some things you don't want to hear from your mother.

Suddenly a portal opened in the clearing below, netlike energy fanning out around its pale center.

Creatures in dark green jumpsuits emerged from the portal, flexing the curved bladed fingers of the golden gauntlet's covering their hands. Two golden armored toed feet dug into the fertile grass, creating deep divots.

They angled their head upward, revealing bright red eyes and leather like skin stretched taut over a protruding jaw. Jagged white teeth like broken glass filled their mouths.

Slotted nostrils flared and as one the five creature's heads turned to stare at Zar.

"Parademons," he whispered.

–XX –

Karsta Wor-Ul sat up in bed, the crimson sheets covering her body, falling away to reveal the tan flesh hidden beneath.

Multiple sources of rushing air filled their ears.

Turning, she shook Arzaz broad bare shoulder, causing him to release a snort. "Arzaz, wake up!"

White eyes cracked open, "What is it?"

"Hush tubes have appeared."

Hush tubes were the silent interdimensional portals used by the denizens of Apocalypse.

In a flash, Arzaz was up, the setting sun framing his tall muscular naked body. The sounds of clinking metal filled the room as the overlapping golden armor covered his body once more. Stretching forth his hand, the helmet with the angled crosses emerging from either side of it appeared draped over his palm. "How many?"

Moving with a predator's grace, Karsta slipped into a new dark blue bodysuit, the inverted triangle with the angled U in its center accentuated the slope of her breast. "Too many to count."

Arzaz turned to the room's rectangular window, his hands curling into fist. "Get to Zar, take him to the portal, I'll follow behind you covering your flank."

Karsta moved beside him, wrapping her hand around his clenched fist. "It would be safer if we moved together."

Arzaz inclined his head, "For me probably, but it wouldn't be as stealthy." Turning to her, the orange light of the sun catching his white eyes, changing them into a pale orange, he cupped her face with his free hand. "Physically, you are more powerful than I. you need to get to our son. No matter what happens, he is our legacy."

Unshed tears glistened in Karsta's eyes, "I can't lose you," she shook her head, "I can't lose another love. I couldn't bear it."

"You won't. Now, go get our boy."

With a stiff nod, Karsta disappeared in a dark blue blur.

–XX –

Zar hopped back, hovering in midair, he stared at the parademon before him. Its right arm extended its claws just an inch away from his body.

Curling his hand into a fist, he brought it up in a blur of motion, slamming it across the parademons face.

There was a crack as the parademons head bent at an odd angle. Its eyes became empty black pits before plunging limply to the forest floor, half formed wings protruding from its back.

Twisting his body, Zar dodged another swipe of the golden claws. Bringing his opposite leg around, he aimed a kick at the parademons head, only for it to raise an arm to block it.

Raising an eyebrow, red beams flew from Zar's eyes, severing the parademons head from his neck.

The smell of charred flesh filled the air as the parademon's wings flapped frantically for a moment before going still, and the rest of the body fell to the ground.

Suddenly, another one slammed into his back driving him into a tree.

He winced as his head ricocheted off the tree, sending chips of bark flying in all directions.

With a roar, his new opponent opened his mouth, his white jagged teeth gleaming in the dim light of the forest canopy.

As the creature angled its mouth down to take a bite out of his shoulder, Zar put his feet on the tree. Pushing off, he launched himself backwards, carrying the creature with him.

Rancid breath filled his nose as they slammed into another tree, driving the breath out of the creature's body. Twisting, he slammed a kick into the parademons ribs, launching it towards the earth.

It slammed to the ground with a light boom, creating a small crater.

Leaves fluttered down on top of it, giving Zar an idea. Reaching out with his mind, he wrapped the fallen leaves in his power. Concentrating on the image he had in his mind, the leaves slowly elongated and became thicker before taking on a silver color.

Within moments, foot-long wrist thick leaf shaped blades hung in the air.

With lips curling into a smile at his success, he drove the blades downward with a flick of his wrist.

Some broke off on the parademon's armor, but others didn't. A wet thumping filled the air as blade after blade impacted the body, driving themselves deep.

When it was over, a circular portion of the forest floor was painted in blood, releasing its metallic scent into the air.

Zar grimaced. At least two of his blades had found the parademon's skull, nearly splitting it in half.

He knew his mother was teaching him to fight, but he never thought it would be like this. This wasn't a fight, this was a slaughter. Swallowing thickly, he forced the bile rising in his throat down. He didn't have time for this right now. He had to find his parents.

Turning, Zar cried out as to beams of pale yellow energy slammed into his body, driving him backwards.

The last two parademon bounced in the air before him, the wings protruding from their backs keeping them aloft. Clutched in their golden gauntlet covered hands were rectangular blasters, the circular barrels protruding out of them radiating a cherry red with the energy they released.

Zar cried out slamming into a tree, the cracking of what he hoped was the bark beneath him echoing in his ears. Energy pinned him there, heat caused his clothes to become uncomfortably warm, before a searing pain lanced across his chest.

So this was the pain of battle. He'd never felt anything like it. He thought the bruises his mother gave him after training was bad, this was a thousand times worse, the scent of his own flesh burning filled his nose. His heart hammered in his chest.

Was this how he was going to die? In the forest, killed by a couple of brainless beasts. No, he would not die here. He was Zar Wor-Ul son of Karsta Wor-Ul, son of Arzaz, old god of order. He would live to make his parents proud.

Clenching his hand into a fist, he brought his arm up to shield his chest from the laser blasts. Eyes flaring white, he pushed his will forward.

The laser fire cut off abruptly, the guns transforming into large black serpents that wrapped around the parademons bodies, pinning their wings together, causing them to fall to the ground.

The snakes slithered up to look the parademons in the eye, their eyes glowing emerald green, their mouths opened wide, revealing finger long fangs. Clear liquid dripped from the fangs, steaming on anything it touched.

Together the soldiers of Apokolips reached towards their new foes, trying to dig their golden claws into the red diamond pattern trailing the snake's back, only for the snakes to go intangible, somehow still applying pressure to their bodies.

Zar dropped to the ground, sweat glistening on his body. He strode forward, the burn on his chest flaring with each step.

He stopped before the struggling parademons, "I would just let the Phasers eat you, it's a pity they're not real." With a quick burst of heat vision, both parademons went limp, blackened holes now the prominent feature in their foreheads.

"Zar!"

Zar spun, his mother descended towards him, her emerald eyes surveying the scene.

Karsta felt a burst of pride at her son as she took in the bodies of the five parademons, but while there was pride at his skill and survival, there was also sadness at his loss of innocence. She may have trained him to defend himself, but she didn't want him to have to use it so soon.

Touching down before him, she placed both hands on his shoulders, her eyes locking onto the burn in the center of his chest. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah mom, I'm…" He trailed off, his eyes drifting shut as he fell forward.

Karsta caught him, her hands flying instantly to his neck. Her shoulders sagged in relief at the strong pulse drumming against her fingers.

Wiping his crimson hair off his forehead, a gentle smile spread across her face, "Rest now my son, you have made your forefathers proud."

–XX –

Karsta leapt through the forest in a blur of motion heat bombarded her from all sides and black smoke filled her vision. In a few gaps she could find, the bodies of season squirrels and foresights littered the forest floor, their blood painting the ground red.

In front of her, the forest began to thin, revealing a large mountain range. Her eyes locked onto a small hole thirty feet up. She bent her knees, preparing to launch herself into the air.

She jumped, only for a crescent-shaped beam of crimson energy to fly towards her. She twisted her body taking the hit on her back. She cried out feeling her flesh tear open and blood run down her skin.

Landing on the ground, she fell to one knee, her body hunched over her son cradled against her chest.

White eyes fluttered open. "Mom, what's going on?"

Karsta gazed over her son's body, finding the burn on his chest healed, with only the hole in the center of his shirt as proof it had ever been there. Gently, she lowered him to the ground. "Stay behind me, we've been attacked."

Slowly Karsta turned around, grimacing as the gash in her back stretched wider.

"Mom I can see a bit of your spine," Zar gasped.

Looking over her shoulder, a pained smile spread across her features, "it's alright baby. I'll be fine."

"Such a touching sentiment and the kind of resilience I would expect from a kryptonian."

Both mother and son turned.

A man emerged from the shadows of the trees, his red eyes glowing brightly. Silver armor adorned his broad six-foot frame. A crimson material filled each joint, bending smoothly with each step he took.

"Who are you?" Karsta asked moving in front of her son.

A smile spread across his broad tan face, causing the short black beard covering his chin to twitch. Slowly, he reached over his shoulder, removing an ax from his back. Tightening his grip around the handle, blood colored energy danced around the blade edge. "I am Steppenwolf, general of Apokolips and uncle of Darkseid."

Karsta stepped out of the shadows, relaxing into the wind caressing her face. Warm sunlight bathed her body, and she sighed as she felt the wound in her back grow shut.

Flexing her fingers, she pushed off the ground, rocketing forward. Her short red hair flew back in the wind as she closed the distance between her and her target. Drawing back her fist, she released a roar before driving it forward.

A wide clown like smile spread across Steppenwolf's face, showing off perfect white teeth. "Now, this is more like it. I always like it better when my prey fights back." He swung his ax forward, aiming to cleave Karsta's head in two.

With incredible grace, Karsta spun out of the way of the ax, slamming a kick into Steppenwolf's knee, causing him to fall to the ground.

In the blink of an eye, she was behind him, wrapping her legs around his arms, and her arms around his neck. Squeezing like a snake, she felt the bones in his neck creak, while the armor buckled under the pressure.

Steppenwolf cried out, feeling some of his bones come dangerously close to breaking. Moving the fingers of his left hand, he pressed his belt buckle. White lightning arced off the armor, curling around Karsta.

Karsta cried out, curling into herself as the electricity coursed over her body setting every nerve ending on fire.

"Mom," Zar screamed stepping forward.

"No," Karsta exclaimed through clenched teeth, bloody tears streaming down her face, "stay back."

Steppenwolf rose to his feet, his eyes locked on Zar. "Well, the spawn of a kryptonian and old god, you will make a fine soldier for Apokolips."

"But first," he picked his ax up off the ground. Red energy flared along the blades edge, "we need to take care of your mother." He turned, eyeing Karsta, curled into a fetal position, white lightning curling like vipers around her body.

He stepped forward, raising his ax above his head, "it's a shame the lightning of mercy is frying your nervous system and exploding your veins. You would've made great breeding stock for Apokolips soldiers."

"For what it's worth, you were a fine opponent." He brought the ax down.

Zar blurred forward, praying he would make it in time.

Just before Zar moved in front of the blade, a golden shape slammed into Steppenwolf, taking him off his feet.

Zar dropped to his knees beside his mother, as the white lightning around Karsta faded away. "Oh mom," he choked tears streaming down his face. This was all his fault. if he would've moved sooner his mother wouldn't have gotten hurt.

Bright red burns covered a good portion of her body, giving off the smell of cooked pork making his mouth water unpleasantly.

Karsta smiled causing her lips to crack and blood to dribble down her chin. "Don't worry. I'm going to be just fine." Rolling over, Karsta clenched her teeth to keep from crying out as her burned skin tore open, causing more blood to drip from her body.

Rising to her feet, she stared in the direction Steppenwolf had flown.

Five feet away, Arzaz rose to his feet a rectangular metal box clutched in his left hand. With a flick of his wrist, he launched it through the air, keeping his eyes locked on Steppenwolf. "Karsta get Zar out of here, and remember that I love you both."

Catching the metal box, Karsta took a step forward, only to stop as thunder shook the ground. Gazing into the distance, she watched with wide eyes as Super Town, the massive floating city and home of the new gods broke apart. Large chunks of it fell to earth, creating great dust clouds with each impact.

Tightening her fingers around the box, Karsta bent down. Scooping her son up in her arms, she ignored the pain his weight caused. With one final look at her husband, she leapt upwards.

–XX –

Landing in the mouth of the cave, Karsta lurched forward from her injuries, almost dropping Zar.

Zar levitated himself out of his mother's grasp. Slipping a hand under her arm, he helped her to her feet, letting his eyes wander around the cave.

Blocky lights mounted onto the cave walls clicked on with their movements, banishing the darkness and revealing the smooth stone around them.

Karsta stumbled out of her sons grasp, making her way to the back of the cave, where a ring of metal sat against the far wall. Leaning against the ring, Karsta pushed the father box into a square hole. It sank in easily, merging with the hole to form a smooth unbroken piece of metal.

Grooves etched into the ring flared to life with white light, and the rectangular control panel off to her right blinked on.

"Mother," Zar began starting forward, as the cave shook, sending dust raining down from the ceiling, "what is this place, and what is that machine?"

With a grunt Karsta pushed herself off the ring and slowly turned to face her son.

Zar's eyes widened, there was a distance in his mother's eyes he had never seen before, and it sent a chill down his spine. He started forward, running through the magic his father taught him in his head for anything that could help his mother, but coming up blank.

Karsta made her way jerkily over to the control panel. Images flooded across the screen as her burned fingers danced across the keys. "Your father calls this a star gate. It's a portal, created by channeling the energies of a father and mother box through the multi-verse.

Mother boxes are the living computers used by the people of new Genesis. They contain information on almost every living species. They can heal their owners and others, combined new gods together, and even, calm those caught in a rage. However, their most useful tool is creating wormholes through time and space, called boom tubes because of the thunderous sound they make when the portals appear.

Father box was the Apokolips equivalent of a mother box, with the added features of creating silent boom tubes, called hush tubes, and brainwashing the user into being a servant of Darkseid.

"Multi-verse?"

Karsta shook her head sweat running down her face, a light trimmer to her body, "Don't ask, I don't really understand it, but apparently there is more than one universe."

"There are fifty-two known universes, probably more." A picture of an earth filled the screen on the control panel. The pictures zoomed in, showing an alleyway lined with cobblestones. Figures in cloaks sat hunched against the wall. "Anyway, this machine will take us to a universe where your father and I have set up provisions."

"Provisions?"

Pressing a button, the metal ring flared to life, filled with rainbow colored energy, "You'll see when we get there."

"You're not going anywhere!"

Both mother and son turned.

Steppenwolf stood in the mouth of the cave, the upper part of his armor destroyed, revealing muscular tan flesh littered with scratches and burns. Blood dripped from the stumps of fingers on his right hand. The left side of his face was a bloody ruin, the mangled remains of an eye half hanging out of his left eye socket.

Clutched in his left hand, was the limp form of Arzaz, blood dripping thickly from his stump of a right arm.

Steppenwolf took a step forward, "You're family has put up a good fight, but I've had enough."

"Dad!" Zar screamed stepping forward, only for his mother to grab the back of his shirt and pull him back, "let me go, dad needs my help."

Steppenwolf chuckled, "Yes dear, let him go, let's see if he is worth being a soldier of Apokolips."

Arzaz locked eyes with his wife. "Go," he mouthed.

Karsta shook her head, only to freeze at a screeching roar.

Glancing out of the mouth of the cave, she saw at least a dozen parademons flying towards her.

"Go," Arzaz mouthed again.

Glancing once more at the approaching parademons, Karsta nodded tears glimmering in her eyes. Locking eyes with her husband, she jumped backwards, pulling her son with her.

Both vanished in a flash of white light.

"No!" Steppenwolf screamed, stepping towards the portal. Only to lurch sideways as Arzaz tackled him, driving him into the control panel, breaking it in half.

Rainbow colored energy exploded from the cylindrical portal washing over the cave before reversing and transforming into a black hole.

Within moments, Steppenwolf and Arzaz were pulled into the portal.

While Steppenwolf screamed against the Gravity elongating his body. Arzaz accepted his fate with a serene smile on his face knowing his family was safe.

Within a moment, both were gone, taking the mountain and the rest of New Genesis with them.

–XX –

Zar hurtled through a tube of white energy, bouncing off his mother's body.

Rainbow colored energy blinded him, but if he squinted just right, he could make out other worlds, thousands of them some with very small variations, others were cockroaches had evolved instead of humans, or humans were born without faces.

Suddenly, the energy around them began to ripple, rainbow colored electricity sparked around them dancing over their bodies, causing both to cry out.

"Mom!" Zar screamed, "What's happening?"

Karsta threw her arms around her son, pulling him close to her body. "I don't know. Something must've happened to the portal." She grimaced as rainbow colored lightning struck her body, breaking it down into atoms.

Suddenly, both were propelled outwards. They hit the ground hard. Zar flew away from his mother, rolling along a floor of smooth stone blocks before finally coming to rest at a wall.

Slowly, Zar pushed himself to his feet. With tensed muscles, he looked around him.

He was in a large circular amphitheater. A raised wall separated hundreds of bleachers from the small lowered pit where he was standing.

A whooshing sound drew his attention to the torches lining the walls, and the dangling iron chandeliers as flames burst to life.

Long flickering shadows danced across the walls like living creatures, mesmerizing him.

A low moan brought him back to reality. His head snapped around.

In the center of this sunken circle was a large arch filled with liquid bubbling shadow. An unnatural cold emanated from it tugging at his mind, but his eyes were drawn to the figure afoot from it.

His mother lay at the foot of the arch, blood pooling around her from her injuries, her arms nothing but bloody stumps that stopped just below the elbow joint.

"Mom!" Zar exclaimed blurring forward.

He dropped to his knees before her cradling her head in his hands, ignoring the slickness of her skin.

"Zar, my baby." Karsta whispered, "Did we make it, are we safe?"

"Yeah, mom we're safe," Zar replied his voice cracking. He blinked hard to keep tears from falling. This was no time to cry. His mother needed him. "Mom, what do I do? How do I help you?"

Karsta smiled up at him, the light fading out of her emerald eyes, "You can't help me, baby. My time has come my body just hasn't realized it yet."

Zar hugged her to his body, "No, please don't leave me, I don't want to be alone, I'm scared."

Suddenly doors at the top of the amphitheater slammed open, people in gray robes thundered down the steps.

"Please help my mother," Zar screamed, "She's dying. I don't want to be alone"

"You're not going to be alone baby," Karsta rasped, "I will always be in your heart."

She locked her gaze with his, her eyes were full of desperate determination. "Listen to me son. You are safe here, but you need to get to Grin…"

Before she could finish her sentence, her head lolled, her breathing stopped, and her eyes glazed over.

–XX –

Fifteen-year-oldZar Wor-Ul snapped awake, his chair slamming into the floor, the pungent smell of antiseptic filling his nose.

"Harry?" a soft feminine voice asked, "Are you alright?"

Zar looked around, he was in Saint Mungo's hospital for magical maladies and injuries. The woman talking to him was his adoptive mother, the one that gave him the human name Harry, Lily Potter.

Bright crimson hair framed her pale gaunt face. Her hospital gown clung to her emaciated frame, but her Emerald eyes shone with an intensity and concern for him that reminded him so much of his mother.

His eyes flicked over to the bed across from hers, a dark-haired man lay in it, his chest slowly rising and falling.

A pair of black round spectacles perched on the small wooden table between the two beds, lights reflected in the round lenses, creating large shapes on the pale wall of the room.

In that moment, it all came rushing back. He had been dreaming of the past. Now he was back in the present where he was about to lose another family, his hands curled into fists. The Potters were dying and there was nothing he could do about it.